THE SEVENTEENTH W.J.

BLUNDON MATHEMATICS CONTEST

∗
Sponsored by in cooperation with
The Canadian Mathematical Society The Department of Mathematics and Statistics
Memorial University of Newfoundland
February 23, 2000

1. The numbers represented by 1, 1 + 2, 1 + 2 + 3, 1 + 2 + 3 + 4, etc., are called triangular numbers.

n(n + 1)
The nth triangular number tn (n ≥ 1) can be found by the formula tn = . For example,
2
3(4)
t3 = = 6.
2
√
(a) Evaluate t10 + t11 .
(b) Show that tn + tn+1 is always a perfect square.
2. For any two positive integers m and n (where m > n), the values of m2 − n2 , 2mn and m2 + n2
will represent the lengths of the sides of a right triangle.
(a) Determine m and n that will produce a right triangle with sides of lengths 3, 4 and 5.
(b) Find the area of a right triangle with a hypotenuse of 34 units and legs of integral lengths.
3. A post office sells only 46 cents and 55 cents stamps. Suppose that you need some stamps and you
want to purchase an exact number of dollars worth of stamps. What is the minimum number of
dollars that you could spend?
A3 + B 3 A+B
4. Find the conditions for the positive integers A, B and C to satisfy3 3
= .
A +C A+C
5. ABCD is a square of sides length 4, E is the midpoint of CD, and B F... C
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AE ⊥ EF , as shown. If x and y are the measures of 6 EAD and 6 F AE .
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respectively, prove that x = y. .
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A D
6. Two parallel lines cross both the x and y axes. The intercepts are 3 cm apart on the x–axis and 4
cm apart on the y–axis. How far apart are the lines?
1 1
7. If x = 3 + 1 and y = 3 + 1 , find the value(s) of |x − y|.
3+ x 3+ 3+ y1

8. Consider the quadratic equation ax2 + bx + c = 0 where a 6= 0 and a, b and c are integers. Prove
that the discriminant can never equal 99.
9. Tom and Don both made the same trip of 220 km, Don making the trip in 20 minutes less time,
averaging 5 km/hr faster than Tom. What was the average speed of both drivers?

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10. A hexagon, H, is inscribed in a circle, and consists of three segments of length 1 .
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and three segments of length 3. Find the area of H. ..... ...
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∗ pppppppp A grant in support of this activity was received from the Canadian Mathematical Society.
pp pppp La Société mathématique du Canada a donné un appui financier à cette activité.